Congruent
by Call Me Bambi
Summary: Harry goes to Draco for romantic advice. Draco is happy to oblige, and Harry is forced to think about what, and who, he really wants. Hinny becomes Drarry. Rated M for safety
1. 1: Expectation

Hello, Readers :)  
So, I was thinking of Harry being the completely romantically challenged fool that he is, and our collective agreement as a fandom that Draco is a sex god, and this little creation was born. Plus, Harry's cannon future makes absolutely no sense to me (but I might be biased).

Summary: Harry goes to Draco for romantic advice. Draco is happy to oblige, and Harry is forced to think about what, and who, he really wants. Hinny becomes Drarry.  
Warnings: M/M and F/M relationships, scenes of a sexual nature, language, prejudice and discrimination, some bashing, and some morally questionable decisions.

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"Malfoy, Potter."

Harry half-heartedly sighed as he slung the bag he hadn't bothered to unpack back over his shoulder and headed across the potion's classroom to his designated partner. He wondered whether he should swallow his House pride and just start sitting next to the blonde at the start of every lesson; in every class that the two had shared this year, from charms to transfiguration, they had inevitably been paired up. However, despite the courageous nature of said House, he still couldn't muster up the nerve to perform such a bold move.

"Hey," He breathed out with a grunt as he threw the bag under the desk with a heavy-handed carelessness that had Draco scrunching up his nose in disgust.

Draco was somehow gracefully sprawled atop one of the tall lab stools that filled the classroom, one leg bent, foot up on the narrow seat he perched on, and the other stretched out long and lean to the floor. One elbow was propped up on his bent knee, his hand cupping loosely at his face, the tip of the pinky finger nudged slightly between thin pale lips. At Harry's greeting he removed the hand, curling the fingers once in a wave of hello.

Harry reached down to pull out textbooks, parchment and other utensils needed for today's class and shot Draco a put-upon look as the other made no attempt to move. He reached for the Slytherin's own bag, pulling out the same equipment. He leant over the other boy, deliberately roughly knocking his shoulder and loudly invading his personal space as he set the equipment before him, making sure to convey his exasperation in buckets. All he received for his efforts was a leer and a quick, taunting raise of eyebrows. After nearly four months of working so closely together the two had come to a rather simple understanding; each was reliant on the other for the majority of their grades, and so they would work together as amicably as they could. Harry needed good grades to get into the Auror Academy and Draco had disclosed early on in the year that he needed mostly Outstandings to study medicinal magic.

The Gryffindor had been surprised to hear of Draco's plans for the future, but that had been one of the least surprising revelations of the year so far. One week after the welcoming feast, Harry had been requested to join Draco, McGonagall and Snape in the Headmaster's office. There, Dumbledore had explained Draco's situation whilst the blonde muttered and cursed under his breath, glaring at Harry and begrudging the Headmaster for involving his school rival in his private affairs.

It was revealed that, over the summer, Draco had been unwillingly brought into the inner folds of Voldemort's ranks. He had been set the absurd task of killing Dumbledore as an initiation, a test of loyalty, before he could receive the dark mark. It had been the last straw for the sixteen-year-old. He finally broke free of his father's stranglehold on his life and fled to Hogwarts, seeking shelter with his godfather, Severus Snape.

The news of his treachery had spread like fiendfyre through the wizarding world, as well as his subsequent disownment from the Malfoy family, and the boy had been left without a friend, reputation, or knut to his name. Fortunately, the news sparked some sort of revolution amongst the current generation of Slytherins. A large proportion had followed his example, abandoning their families and fleeing to the castle, becoming permanent residents at the safe haven. The group had found it difficult once classes resumed, hated on all sides; presumed secret Death Eaters by the Light and considered traitors by the Dark. They had grown close, sticking up for each other, ensuring the safety of their own above all else. Despite their now public Light or Neutral standing, the Slytherins were more hostile to outsiders than ever before.

That's where Harry came into it. The staff had noticed the growing tension between the students; the rates of sabotage in lessons and trips to Madam Pomfrey higher than ever. Once more Dumbledore was relying on his favourite tool to salvage the situation. He had hoped that teaming up the poster boy for the Light and the unwilling leader of the revolution would bring about some peace and start the formation of strong bonds between the houses. He envisioned a world where the student body presented as a united, solid force against the Dark Lord.

And so, the strained, forced relationship between Harry and Draco had begun. Over the four months since the start of term it had slowly developed into something more friendly than rivals but more rivalrous that friends. The two could now tolerate each other during the long periods of time they had to spend together and could even hold somewhat of a civil conversation. The work they produced together in class was of a far higher quality than either could hope to achieve alone, and miles beyond what had initially been expected of the duo. Their individual skill sets seemed to weave together seamlessly, filling in weaknesses and building on strengths.

"Oi, off the bench, we gotta stand in potions, twit. I don't wanna be docked because your arse is too lazy to follow health and safety rules." Harry called, knocking Draco's shoulder once more. So, maybe they had developed some sort of tentative companionship, but they were still Harry and Draco, through and through.

"Because there's a lot more you want this arse to be doing, right, scarhead?" Draco quipped, rising languidly from his seat with a little more sway in his hips than was strictly necessary.

Harry grinned, not taking the bait, knowing that the joking words were nothing more than that; a joke. He hated that the blonde used to get to him so easily, seemed to know all the right buttons to press to get a rise out of him and set his temper raging. Looking back he had been an impulsive, hot-headed idiot. He wished he could go back and see the taunts for what they really were, just defensive jabs from a hurt and scared kid with a dark sense of humour and an admirably sharp wit. "As a matter of fact, there is," He replied, "I wouldn't mind if you walked your arse over to the storage cupboard and started gathering ingredients. Might as well make yourself useful some time this decade."

Draco passed behind him and around their station with a tut, pointing at his backside as he sauntered over to the cupboard, calling over his shoulder, " _This_ is truly wasted on the likes of you, Potter."

"I don't think I'm missing out on much."

The Slytherin gaped at him as he headed back to their desk, looking ready to throw the tray of ingredients in his hands to the floor in outrage, "How dare you. I am the best you never had." He glanced over Harry's shoulder, catching the eyes of his eavesdropping housemates, "Nott, Parkinson, tell him I'm the best he's never had."

"Oh, yeah, totally." "Bow down to the almighty Slytherin sex god." Came simultaneous drawling, sarcastic replies that would put Snape to shame.

Harry hummed noncommittedly to irk the other more, but soon cracked a smile as Draco somehow managed a furious pout, looking seconds away from stamping his foot like a petulant child. It had taken him a while to get used to this version of Draco, this version that wasn't constantly afraid and second-guessing every word and action he made. A version that didn't prioritise reputation and attention above all else, desperately fighting for recognition. A version free of expectation and duty and burden. Although, Harry corrected himself, this wasn't a _version_ of Draco at all. This was the true one, the real deal, exactly how he always would have been if not forced to constantly wear a mask and follow in other people's footsteps. And Harry had to admit, he liked it. It had been jarring at first, seeing him flirty and flamboyant, sending the girls giggling and the guys spluttering indignantly. In the beginning he had been cautious and weary, seeing it as just another act, but over time he had grown to appreciate how open and honest the other had become, and had told him so multiple times. He actively encouraged and supported him, especially when Draco made the effort to begin breaking down the walls he'd built around himself. Harry had looked on fondly as his ex-rival offered to help Luna look for her lost shoes, gave Hermione a stack of neatly written notes from the classes she'd missed when sick with the flu, and had even apologised to Neville for his past tormenting. The blonde had just cast a quick _accio_ , dumped the parchments with a sneer, and had shoehorned in many backhanded compliments respectively, but it was the thought that counted.

Above all, Harry liked to think he himself had reaped the most benefits from this new Malfoy. He had found in him a study companion, a playful competitor, an advisor, and a fellow human who had seemingly suffered just as much as he had. In Draco he found a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on when all the noise got just a little too loud. After one of his late-night wonderings of the castle had brought him to Myrtle's bathroom, and he had accidentally walked in on Draco trembling and staring bleary eyed into one of the mirrors, the two sought out each other's company. At first it seemed almost subconscious, an accidental meeting in the same abandoned classroom or at the same tree by the Black Lake. Then the small suggestions to study together during free periods had begun, developing into casual invites to hang out in their free time after classes and at weekends, even sneaking out to meet up after curfew. They could often be found watching the stars from the astronomy tower, perched precariously at the ledge, staying up until the early hours talking about anything and everything.

The two worked on their potion in a coordinated, comfortable silence, lost in their own thoughts. When it was time to leave their potion to gently simmer they turned, leaning back against their small work station. They were forced to stand hip to hip by the wall so as to avoid any wayward spluttering from the cauldron landing on their unsuspecting backs. Harry allowed his mind to continue its Draco-fuelled musings. He angled his head towards the Slytherin, drawing his attention back to Earth.

"You know, I've been thinking-"

"Ah! So it _does_ have a brain!"

"Shut up! Fine, I won't tell you."

Draco tilted his head to the side, letting it knock gently atop Harry's before lifting a finger and repeatedly jamming it, hard, into the boy's side, "Come on! Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me-"

Harry tried to muffle his yelp and reflexively silenced Draco with speed honed from years of Seeker training so as not to draw the attention of Professor Slughorn. One hand wrapped tight around a pale wrist, the other clamped over his mouth, " _Brat_. Well, I have a girlfriend."

The blonde rolled his eyes and promptly stuck out his tongue, licking at Harry's palm so the other boy would free him. Harry didn't miss a beat and wiped his wet palm straight down Draco's front, causing a high, indignant shriek.

"You went through all that just to tell me something that many people have told me hundreds of times already? That _you've_ told me hundreds of times already? I know you're practically braindead, but even you must have realised you're one half of the current greatest source of gossip?"

"Shut up and let me finish! You're not a…you…" Harry was suddenly at a loss for words, unable to meet the other's curious gaze. "There's a lot of stories going around, and I was wondering…you've had sex before, right?"

"According to the rumours." Draco fluttered a hand at himself, "Potter, I look like _this_ , what do you think?"

"And you've like…kissed people before?"

The Slytherin crossed his arms, giving the other his full attention, "Well, yeah. The two things don't tend to be mutually exclusive. Surely even a dunderhead like you can figure that much out."

"Well, how do you, you know…get good at it?"

"Sex?"

"No. No!" Harry exclaimed a little too loudly, his hands up defensively. He waited until the curious looks he was receiving from outside of their little work station turned away, "Kissing."

"I know for a fact that you're not a first timer, Potter. Everyone in this castle has seen you lock lips with the Weaslette on many a mentally scarring, stomach churning occasion, and there were also those rumours about you and Chang last year."

Harry looked away, embarrassed, "Yeah, but, like…Cho kissed me, and it wasn't good. And most of the time Ginny kisses me too, and it's just, you know, pecks. And it's not as good as everyone says it should be. There's no, you know, sparks and butterflies and all that stuff people keep going on about. And I thought maybe it was because I wasn't doing it right."

Draco heard the timer for their potion go off and turned to resume stirring, pointing for Harry to start adding in their prepared mandrake root, "Most of the time those things come from what you're feeling. Emotionally not physically, that is. Do you even like her?"

The brunette didn't reply for the longest time, so long that Draco thought he hadn't heard him. Just as he was about to repeat his question Harry sighed, murmuring, "Of course I do. She's…nice. She's smart, and funny, and great at quidditch. Oh, and, err, pretty. And I love her family."

"That means nothing. _I'm_ smart, and funny, and great at quidditch, and undoubtable pretty. Yet _I'm_ not getting any _pecks_." Draco winked, throwing the word back at the quickly reddening boy. "Might have some slight, tiny, minor, barely-there issues with the family part, though."

Harry smiled smally at Draco, knowing he was just messing with him. Or, was trying to get him to actually consider his feelings. He shook his head, this was Draco he was talking about; he was definitely just messing with him. He sighed, continuing, "She's everything I should be looking for in a girlfriend. Everyone says we're great together. It was always expected that we would be a couple."

"Oh, so then what, are you going to keep doing what's expected of you? Are you going to get engaged straight out of Hogwarts, and be married by twenty-one? First kid on the way by twenty-five? Move out to the countryside, have a white picket fence and a dog, two point three children?" Draco was shocked by the bitterness in his own voice. He hadn't expected those words to come out. He thanked Merlin that Harry was too focused on not slicing off his fingers to look at his face.

"And what's so wrong with that? That's the dream, isn't it?" Harry bit back defensively.

Draco sighed, stepping away from the cauldron to take a breather from the hot, pungent fumes, "For everyone else maybe, but it doesn't seem…right. Not for you. You should be happy."

Harry didn't look at him, instead kept his back to the blonde as he stepped over to continue the abandoned stirring. His shoulders were visibly tense as he gripped the rod, "Oh? And you're such an expert on what's right for me, now? After all these years of hating me you think you can decide what will make me happy?"

Draco stepped up behind him, acting like he was peering over Harry's shoulder at the potion when in reality he had just wanted an excuse to put a reassuring hand on the boy's waist under the pretence of steadying himself. He leant forward, talking close to his ear, "You're right, I'm sorry. I don't have any right to comment or speculate on your personal life. We're not even friends."

"Oh, fuck that. _I'm_ sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you." Harry muttered with a sigh. He put the near finished potion under stasis; it was a double class and they were well ahead of schedule. He turned fully, finding Draco a lot closer than he had expected. He raised a hand, placing it on the taller boy's chest with the intent of pushing him back, but instead he let it just rest there. "I know we never discussed it or came to a formal, official decision, or whatever, but we _are_ friends. Or at least we could be. Should be." He furrowed his brow in thought, looking up into grey eyes, "Draco Malfoy, will you be my friend?"

"You're such an idiot."

"Shut up, ferret."

"So, _friend_ ," Draco wriggled his eyebrows with a mocking sneer, "Do you still want kissing tips from your dear old bestest buddy Draco?"

Harry shifted his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose as if staving off a headache, but nodded in defeat, "Yes, please…Draco."

Draco mirrored his small smile at using his first name before schooling his features into what he hoped would be a portrayal of a wise guru, "So, Harry. You've got to go with instinct, you know? If you're thinking about the kiss, it's a bad kiss. If you're able to think at all, for that matter. You have to feel the mood, respond to your partner."

The blonde sighed, feeling his own headache beginning at the other's dumbfounded look, realising he was going to have to spoon-feed the information to the clueless Gryffindor, "Start from gentle little kisses and build up the passion. Experiment, see what your partner likes. Try a little lick or nibble, a little tongue or teeth. Maybe your partner likes it when you act cute, mixing in a few kisses to the nose and forehead. Maybe they like it a little more sensual, neck kisses and such."

Despite his best efforts, Harry felt more lost than ever. He brought a tan hand up to his own neck, prodding and scrubbing it harshly, "Neck kisses?" He murmured to himself.

Draco caught his hand with one of his own, tutting, "Bloody Gryffindors, always so rough. Not like that, like this." The Slytherin raised his other pale hand to Harry's throat, briefly but gently caressing his fingertips along his jaw, up to his ear then down the side of his neck. He lightly pinched at his pulse point then soothed it with another play of long, elegant fingers. He stepped back slightly, dropping his hands and ignoring the blown look in Harry's eyes. He was glad his larger frame was shielding Harry from the class, keeping him ignorant of the looks he could feel burning into his back. He coughed slightly before finding his voice, "You know, sort of like that. But with lips, tongue, and teeth."

Harry was still staring at him in what looked like a mix of awe, confusion, and something else indiscernible, "I don't think I really get it. I don't think I can do…that."

Draco looked at him deadpan, but behind the sarcasm his mind was whirring, "Merlin, and to thing _you're_ Witch Weekly's most eligible bachelor. I feel sorry for any girl who's been unlucky enough to have had physical contact with you, dunderhead."

"Hey!" Harry's rebuttal was defensive, but he knew Draco caught the flicker of resignation and defeat in his eyes. He softened his tone, trying not to sound too pleading, "That's why I need your help. I know Ginny's a lot more experienced than me. I don't want her to get bored of me. I don't want to lose the-…her."

Draco sighed but gave a short nod, "Fine. Tell you what, come by the Slytherin common room tonight, after curfew, we'll talk about this more."

"What, so I can get caught by Mrs Norris, cursed at by your housemates, and laughed at more by you?"

"Do you want my help or not?"

"…I'll see you tonight."

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Harry cast a _tempus_ for what seemed liked the millionth time that night and smiled to himself. One minute past curfew. That'll do.

He stretched up his arms, feeling the muscles in his back protest from being hunched over that day's charms assignment, before rolling up the finished essay and shoving it in his bag. To his horror he had found out rather quickly that Draco was just as stubborn as Hermione when it came to classwork, and he insisted that Harry do, or at least attempt, any work the day it was set. Otherwise he would outright refuse to go over any questions or queries the brunette might have. For some reason, he found Draco's arguments a lot more compelling than Hermione's, and he found himself going along with the strict routine. He told himself it was just for a quiet life and cooperative partner, but really, he'd come to appreciate and even enjoy Draco's input, and a lot more than he did his bushy-haired best friend's. Draco was surprisingly patient, taking the time to develop Harry's understanding and have intelligent debates with him. It was a vast contrast to the short, clipped answers, or unnecessarily long and rambling ones, he was used to receiving. Draco never nagged about how he should 'just do more', and prioritised quality over quantity, living by the motto 'work smarter, not harder'.

He pulled out his invisibility cloak from where it was stashed in a hidden compartment of his bag; he had developed the habit of keeping it on him at all times. He then banished the bag up to the dorms, where he knew it would be neatly sat at the foot of his bed. Draco had been aghast when he'd discovered that Harry didn't know the very basics of magic, the simple yet frequently used spells that helped magical folk get through day-to-day life that all purebloods were taught in their ten years before Hogwarts. Draco had taken it upon himself to educate Harry, he'd even set him _homework_. In turn Harry had taught him about the muggle world. At first he had been met with heated resistance, but that soon dissipated once Harry drew out a collection of muggle board games for them to play. A decision Harry regretted soon after when Draco nearly set him on fire for his atrocious drawing skills in Pictionary. An act that was almost repeated when Harry insisted Draco's rather beautiful depiction of a dragon was a drunk pigeon. He had sworn he could see his shoes beginning to smoke.

"Are you leaving, Harry? It's past curfew."

The fond smile dropped from Harry's face as he looked back at Hermione, half risen out of his seat to leave. He hovered for a moment, debating whether to just get up and go, but now Ron's attention was also on him. With a small sigh he sat back down, crossing his arms almost defensively, "Yeah, just for a little while. I promise I won't cause any trouble."

"Ooooh!" Ron crooned, his face twisted up in what he probably presumed was a mocking way but just looked like he was constipated, "Sneaking out to spend some time with Ginny?"

Harry looked at him, his brow furrowing in confusion, "Why would I sneak out to see Ginny? She's right there." He turned, pointing over his shoulder to where the redhead was engrossed in reading a book with one of her classmates on another sofa across the room.

"Yes, she is right there." Hermione confirmed, a strained look on her face, "She's always _right there_. But you two never seem to spend any time together."

"We're together all the time. In the common room, at quidditch practice, at meals."

"I meant," Hermione continued, "You never spend any _quality_ time together. Just you two. Alone. You are _dating_ her, Harry, you should start being a little more romantic, stop treating her exactly the same as you treat all your friends." She frowned deeper, "Although, it is _you_ , I don't think you have a romantic cell in your body."

"Hey!" Harry sputtered, indignant. He turned to Ron, hoping his equally romantically challenged friend would jump in to rescue him, "You and Lavender don't ever spend quality alone time together, right?"

Ron blushed almost instantly, his ears now matching his hair, "Er, yeah, actually, we do, mate."

"You serious?" Harry stared at him, dumbfounded. He sighed, cupping his face in his hands.

"Yeah," Run muttered, his eyes wandered past Harry and he jabbed his thumb to indicate, "And if you don't up your game, you're gunna lose her."

 _That's what I'm trying to do right now, if you'll just let me go and see Draco_ , Harry thought to himself. He followed Ron's line of sight, watching as Ginny continued to read her book. He vaguely recognised it as one Hermione had taken out of the library herself during one of their transfiguration assignments last year. She was sat close to her classmate, some plain looking boy Harry could never remember the name of, the small size of the couch they shared demanding it. But she didn't seem too bothered by the proximity. She leaned into his shoulder, and they both held one half of the large tome each, whispering and laughing quietly to each other as they slowly made their way through it. Harry smiled at them, not that either would see it. They looked like they were having fun.

"What's your point?" Harry asked quizzically, his eyes confused as they landed back on Ron, "She's just working on an assignment, a joint one by the looks of it, and I'm guessing he's her partner for it. I'm glad they get along, we all know what a chore it is to be lumped with someone we can't stand."

"Don't you see it, Harry?" Hermione asked gently, "I don't want to upset you, and I'm not a hundred percent certain, but I think they might be flirting with each other."

Harry watched as Ginny untucked a large white quill from behind her ear, scrawled some notes on a scrap of parchment, then returned it. As she did she caused a few long locks of fiery hair to tumble into her eyes. She smiled, ducking her head slightly in embarrassment as the boy laughed at her before reaching out to brush them back into place. "They're just friends, Hermione. I'm not going to be the kind of boyfriend that stops his girlfriend from having friends and hanging out with other people. That's not healthy," he said sternly, appalled at the idea that that might be what they expected from him. He continued on, "They're not doing anything that friends wouldn't. I've done stuff like that with you before, Hermione, it doesn't mean I fancy you. Hell, I do that stuff with all my girl friends. And most of the guys, too."

"We know you do, but that's just you, normal people don't," Ron grinned crookedly.

Harry frowned, looking between his two friends, suddenly very self-conscious, "I'm not…normal?"

"No, mate." The redhead stated bluntly.

"Shut _up_ , Ronald." Hermione scolded him before turning kind, almost pitying eyes on Harry. "That's not what we meant. It's just…most people aren't quite as…physically affectionate as you are, Harry. But that's okay because you've always been like that, and we're used to it."

Ron laughed loudly, "But you should have seen Ginny's face the first time she saw you hug and kiss Hermione 'hello'. She looked like she wanted to set you both on fire. Then when you did the same to me and the twins I swear she nearly fainted from shock!"

Harry stared at the ground, praying it would open up and pull him and his burning cheeks into its depths, "I…I just…"

"It's okay, Harry." Hermione reached over, lightly resting her hand on his knee for a moment before sitting back, "Your past with the Dursley's is a bit of an open secret round here. We know how they treated you. Not to mention the rest of the things you've gone through in your life. And, Sirius and Remus were always very physical people, and you're a lot like them. It's understandable why you like to be close to people. And we've all grown to love you for it."

Ron let out another loud bark of laughter, "Well, all of us except Ginny. She still looks murderous whenever you so much as look at another girl. Even though you're completely harmless and it wouldn't even cross your mind, she thinks your intentions towards other girls are what that boy's intentions are towards her." Ron jabbed his thumb roughly at the boy beside Ginny again.

Harry sat quietly for a moment, just looking into the fire and thinking. He knew the way he was with his friends was different to how most people were, but he just liked physical signs of affection. It had never even crossed his mind that his actions could ever be seen as anything beyond platonic. He briefly entertained the idea of changing, of withdrawing himself from others and focusing all his physical energy on her, but that didn't feel right. It didn't feel like him. And if she truly loved him, like she claimed she did, then she should love him for who he really is. Besides, he would never try and get her to change. Well…except for maybe this jealous side of her that he had only seconds before been enlightened to. He hated jealously, especially unfounded and undue jealousy. It reminded him horribly of all the hateful letters both he and Ginny had received from fans once their relationship had somehow been made known to the Daily Prophet. However, he wasn't afforded long to dwell on these uncomfortable thoughts.

"So, if you're not sneaking out for Ginny, why are you sneaking out?" Ron asked, and then a flicker of excitement entered his blue eyes, "Is there something going on? Is there a bad guy we need to fight? Are we spying on someone?"

Harry rolled his eyes, " _We_ are not doing anything. I'm quite looking forward to completing this year free of Voldemort, drama, and near-death experiences."

"So where are you going, Harry?" Hermione asked. She had a look in her eyes, a determined curiosity which told Harry he wouldn't be leaving any time soon without answering her questions.

"I'm just going to see Draco for a bit."

Ron made some painful sounding choking noises, then managed to rasp out, "Malfoy? You won't sneak out to see your girlfriend but you're going to sneak out to see that slimy git?"

Harry let a deep breath slowly escape past his lips, trying to exhale his frustration. Whilst Draco had made efforts to reconcile with the golden trio, it was only he that seemed willing to reciprocate those efforts. Hermione tolerated him enough but would never go out of her way to speak with him, and Ron seemed completely oblivious to any changes the blonde was making with his life, stubbornly treating him the same way he always had. "Yes," Harry said slowly, as if speaking to a small child, "He's my friend, Ron. Friend's spend time together."

"Yes, they do, but they don't sneak around after curfew to do so, Harry." Hermione pleaded, "What could he possibly want at this hour?" The clever witch looked worried, "You think he's changed, but can someone really change that much? You seem to see him with rose tinted glasses, he might be lying in order to hurt you."

"Why would he go through all the trouble of trying to be my friend, and even trying to make friends with my friends, just to hurt me? If he wasn't serious about changing then it would have been a lot easier on his part to just carry on being mean, or even just spend the year ignoring us."

"He's still a git," Ron stated moodily.

Harry pursed his lips, scrunching up his face a little. Ron was right; Draco was still a git. A nice one, but still a git. "Well, I'm not asking you to be his friend. Just don't be angry with me because I am."

"I still think he's up to something, being all up in your business during classes. I was certain that we'd be starting a Gryffindor versus Slytherin fight at any moment in potions this morning. I was looking forward to it!"

"He wasn't looking to start a fight, Ron," Harry willed himself to be patient, "We were just chatting. He's got quite a physical personality with his friends, like I do, that's all." He paused for a moment, thinking, "Although, he's a lot flirtier than me, but I think that might just be him messing with me."

"So, you admit it, he _is_ still messing with you! I knew the ferret was evil!"

"It's not often I say this, Harry, but I think Ron might be right," Hermione added, "I think he might have some darker ulterior motives. And he _was_ getting _awfully_ close to you today, he might be trying to get you to trust him, to lure you into something. Where does he want to meet you? I know you seem to think he's a friend, Harry, but if he's asked you to meet him in some abandoned corridor, you shouldn't go."

Ron nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah, he is a Death Eater, after all!"

"He is _not_ a Death Eater!" Harry bit out coldly. He wasn't sure if he was defending Draco or his own decision-making skills, or maybe both. Even if his best friends couldn't see what he sees they should trust his judgement, or at least trust he's not stupid enough to just go running off into a trap. He lowered his voice as a few curious eyes glanced in their direction, "We're actually meeting in his common room, if you must know. We're…" Harry let his words drift off, mulling over how to phrase exactly what it was they were doing. It wouldn't end well if he told his girlfriend's hot-headed brother that he wanted tips on how to snog his baby sister better. "He's teaching me something," he settled on, "We're just going over something we discussed in potions today that I don't have a good grasp on yet."

"If you need help in potions, Harry, I can help you," Hermione chimed in, a little happiness colouring her voice. She had told him many times this year how proud she was that he was finally prioritising his school work, and naturally assumed it was due to her, something he was not feeling overly eager to correct her on.

"Yeah, mate, stay here and let Hermione just do it for you." Ron nodded, "You must be mad to go into that stinking snake pit."

Harry stood up in what he hoped was a finalising gesture, "No, no, it's fine, honestly, you don't need to, Hermione. He's already agreed, he's expecting me, and it would be rude to just not turn up. And I don't want to pull you away from your own work, I know you're doing a lot of extra classes this year. You should be a little more selfish and focus on you." He gave her a warm, kind smile. It was true, after all, he didn't want to see her wear herself thin like she did back in third year.

"Alright, if you're sure, Harry." Hermione said reluctantly, "Just be careful. For your sake, I am optimistically hopeful that Malfoy's changed, but that doesn't mean they all have. You'll be surrounded by Slytherins and they might take the opportunity to get revenge."

"Yeah!" Ron whooped loudly, "Just shout if you need us to come beat some of them up!"

Harry nodded tightly, wanting to go on the defensive, but realised that if he wanted to get out of there any time soon he had to take that as his queue to leave. He leaned down, placing a quick kiss to each of their cheeks before heading for the exit, the invisibility cloak clutched tight in one hand. He had almost made it out without any further delays when a soft voice called out.

"Babe."

Closing his eyes for a moment, Harry took a deep breath before turning around to face the source of the voice with a bright, plastered on smile. Ginny gazed up at him with big brown eyes and pouty, red painted lips.

"Hey, Ginny," He called back softly, but didn't bother stepping any closer to her couch lest he get sucked into another conversation. At this rate he was definitely going to get caught by a prefect or Mrs. Norris, "I'm running late for a study session, but we'll hang out tomorrow, yeah?"

"But baby," She let the last syllable stretch on, turning the endearment into a whine, "You say that all the time, but we never do. You're always studying, or reading in the library, or say you're busy. And when we do hang out, it's always with all our friends around."

Harry turned fully towards her and slowly walked over so he could stand by the armrest she was leaning against, "I can't help that I'm busy. I can't keep winging it with blind luck. I can't blow this opportunity if I want a decent career. This is my future."

"So, you're saying your grades are more important than me?"

"At the moment, yes, of course they are." Harry looked at her, confused as to why she looked like he'd just slapped her, "Getting through school should be the most important thing for everyone; Hogwarts doesn't give second chances, and there's so much resting on how well we do. Hermione would say the same thing to Ron about us three hanging out and him being with Lavender. She _has_ said the same thing to Ron. I want to make something of my life, Ginny, I don't want to just coast along being the Boy who Lived forever. I want an exciting job, and to travel the world."

"But you _are_ the Boy who Lived," She pleaded, "Can't you just be happy with that? You would never need or want for anything."

Harry paused for a moment. He supposed to someone like Ginny, who had grown up with very little, that would seem the ideal life. However, that wasn't Harry, and she should know better than that, "You know that would make me miserable. I want my own future."

" _I_ am your future! Isn't that good enough for you?"

The world seemed to go silent and shrink to just the small area around them, even though Harry could hear hushed whisperings and feel stares burning into his back. Hadn't Draco said the same thing just that morning? That his future revolved around a wife and kids and not much else? At the time he'd told the blonde that that was what he wanted…but hadn't he just told Ginny that he didn't? He wanted adventure. He wanted to see everything, do everything. His world grew smaller still until he was stuck in his own head, seeing his future before him. He stood outside a perfect little house with a white picket fence and neat garden. A small family, a man, woman and child, stood in the doorway, perfect and neat smiles spread across their faces. Harry could feel his stomach churn and his mind's eye seemed to blink, the picture blurring and twisting, morphing into a sight he had seen many, many times before. Vernon, Petunia and Dudley, stood outside their house at Privet Drive. That was what lay ahead of him. He was going to have a perfectly normal life.

"Babe, are you okay? You don't look so good." Ginny cooed up at him, eyes wide with concern.

Harry let out a breath he didn't know how long he had been holding and shook his head to try and clear it. It didn't work. He tried to offer her a small smile, but he could feel it was closer to a grimace, "I…I have to go."

She looked at him, and he could see an argument building in her mind, but she must have seen something in him that made her stop, "Okay, but I mean it. You suddenly went all pale, like you'd seen a ghost. Promise me you'll stop by the hospital wing if you're not feeling well. Madam Pomfrey won't mind seeing you outside of curfew."

"Yeah. Okay. Will do." Harry nodded and turned towards the portrait that covered the entranceway. He paused as a small, freckled hand grabbed hold of his sleeve.

Ginny tugged lightly on the sleeve until he looked at her again, and she made sure her face showed just how cross she was with him, "I know you're not feeling well, and you've been acting weird, and you're being mean to me, but are you not even going to give your girlfriend a kiss goodbye?"

"Yeah. Okay." Harry said dully. He swooped down and before she could turn her glossy lips towards his he placed a brief, light kiss to her cheek, and left.

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To Be Continued (within 24 hours).

Happy Reading,  
Love,  
Bambi x


	2. 2: Connection

Hello, Readers :)  
Chapter 2 up just 18 hours later, I'm on fire!

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Harry somehow managed to make it down to the dungeons without running into anyone despite his dazed state. He hadn't even had the brain capacity to put on his cloak. Shoving it into his robe pocket and giving himself two light slaps on the cheek to wake up his brain, he knocked on the cold brick wall of the dungeon where he knew the concealed entrance of to the Slytherin common room to be. He noticed for the first time a tiny snake etched faintly into the top corner of the brick under his fist. Smiling, he whimsically whispering 'open' to it in Parseltongue for the sake of nostalgia.

To his utter surprise and delight the bricks shifted out of the way, similar to how they did at the entrance to Diagon Alley. He looked down the dark stone stairs that lead deep into the dungeons and saw Draco gaping up at him from about halfway, foot hovering above his next step almost comically. After a second the blonde seemed to snap out of it, an air of collected calm surrounding him.

"Parseltongue?"

"Parseltongue." Harry confirmed with an evil smirk, "If only I had known. I could have had full access to this place whenever I wanted."

Draco moved to the side, allowing Harry room to come down and walk beside him as they headed towards the common room. Soft voices and light radiated up from a turn at the bottom of the stairs. "Oh?" He murmured, butting his shoulder lightly against Harry's, "Does it excite you, knowing you now have full, unrestrained access to yours truly?"

Harry laughed at the exaggerated wink Draco shot him before sticking out an arm to halt them on their decent. He turned and on tiptoes reached up to place a smacking kiss to Draco's cheek. He continued down the stairs, laughing still, ignoring Draco's indignant noises, "Hey, I forgot, we're officially friends now. Which means you're on the Potter hello kiss list, I'm afraid."

"Merlin, damn it." Draco muttered, trailing after him, "Just when I thought I'd escaped your little snog club." Their eyes met at the same time, sharing a look of disgust, both reminded of the Slug Club.

"Kiss cult sounds better." Harry decided, "And welcome to it. Feel the wrath of my friendship."

Draco looked unimpressed, "Is it too late for a refund?"

The barbed reply died on the tip of Harry's tongue as they turned the corner and entered common room. Harry was just as amazed as he had been the first time he saw it. It was decked out in hundreds of different shades of green, and everything that wasn't green was black. Thousands of candles lit up every nook and cranny of the large space, chasing out the darkness of such a colour scheme, making it seem brighter and warmer than should be possible. There were still a few students around, mostly older years, and they barely even glanced in their direction before returning to whatever it was they were doing. There was a couple cuddled by the large fire, and a few were huddled around watching what seemed to be an intense game of wizard's chess. There were some sixth and seventh year students lounged across the three sofas available in the space, forcing the lower years onto stools and bean bags. There appeared to be a kind of hierarchy going on, as the few youngest ones seemed to be delegated to the floor, the braver ones leaning back against the sofas their 'superiors' monopolised.

What drew Harry's attention the most was a group of three chattering quietly by the floor to ceiling window that took up an entire wall of the room. The view looked out into the black lake and at this late hour it lived up to its name. However, if you looked up you could see the moonlight rippling bright against the surface of the water. Every now and then you could see an impossibly darker shape moving around in the depths, and the three seemed completely unfazed by the occasional quiet bumps and hits that resonated through the glass. Harry stared in awe as a noise beat out a rhythmic _tap tap tap_ directly on the other side from where the students sat. He strained to try and see what had made it, but nothing was visible. without missing a beat one of the trio returned the knock, only to have it repeated back once more.

"Mermaid children," Draco murmured softly, a small smile on his lips as he watched Harry's childlike wonder, "They may be known for their viciousness, but mermaids are incredibly intelligent and can be quite entertaining when treated with respect. Their young are always curious and like to interact with us. I walked in on a second year playing pat-a-cake with one just this morning."

Harry grinned at him. He was glad for the opportunity to associate mermaids with something other than the horrors of the Triwizard Tournament. He looked around the room again, scanning the familiar and not so familiar faces, "Why does no one care that I'm here?"

Draco wrapped long, pale fingers around his wrist and pulled him into the centre of the room, twirling Harry under his arm like a dancer. Harry tried to supress his giggling, nervously glancing at everyone. But just like when they had entered the room they received nothing more than a few brief, curious looks.

"Because you're with me," Draco smirked, falling backwards onto one of the couches. Blaise Zabini only just pulled his legs up in time to avoid them being crushed. Draco flapped his hands at the tall, dark, and handsome boy, "Shoo, Blaise, I have a guest."

Blaise glared at the blonde but a quick quirking of his eyebrows showed his amusement. He took his time getting up, stretching languidly before sauntering off across the room. Draco wasted no time in pulling Harry down by the wrist he still had a hold of, and Harry lived up to his ungraceful reputation by landing in a gangly sprawl across the soft material. He scrambled up from where he half-lay across Draco's lap, blushing furiously.

"You did that on purpose."

"I know."

Draco somehow manoeuvred them so that Harry was sat in the middle, feet planted on the ground, and Draco was sideways, leaning back against an armrest, legs stretched out across the other's thighs. He could see Harry preparing a protest, so he pressed one elegant finger against dark, full lips, effectively quieting him, "Hush, you're in the snake pit now." He gestured around the room.

For the first time Harry noticed something he'd never witnessed before in the Gryffindor common room. The Slytherins were all _touching_. Friends leaned on each other, over each other, getting all up in each other's personal space. It reminded Harry of an actual snake pit, everyone huddled and meshed together. Even the two playing chess were being draped over by the spectators. Harry let out a breath, fully relaxing into the soft, warm leather beneath him. Finally, it seemed like he'd found people like him.

"Makes sense," Harry murmured to himself, "I was always meant to be in Slytherin."

"Hmm?" Draco hummed, "Is that right? One of us, one of us."

Harry batted at his knee but grinned, "Yeah, actually. The Sorting Hat wanted me here, but some arrogant, nasty git turned me off of the idea, so I convinced it to put me somewhere else. Anywhere else."

Draco clutched at his heart dramatically, "My, Harry, I didn't know I had such a heavy influence on you after what, just two conversations? You must have been _obsessed_ with me."

"Or, you were just a complete twat that I wanted to avoid at all costs." Harry sneered at him in the same way Draco used to do in their early years of school. He let it drop, chuckling lightly, "I'm starting to think I was wrong, though. Maybe I should have been here all along."

"Hmm?"

With a tut, Harry shoved his knee again, hard enough to cause the blonde to become a little unstable as a clear warning that he had the power to upend him and dump him onto the floor, "Am I not worth a more committed response than just hums?"

"You're asking for commitment already? Well, it's early days, but for you-" Draco was cut off by Harry's hand across his mouth, much like he was that morning in potions.

"Shut up, git." Harry wriggled, getting more comfortable. "I was just thinking about all of this. Hermione and Ron finally worked up the nerve to tell me how weird I am for being a physically affectionate friend."

Draco pulled the hand away from his mouth, lowering it down to rest casually atop his leg, "Look around, Harry. Everyone left in Slytherin is Light or Neutral, now. If the people here were ever Dark, their position was forced by threats and violence. All the ones that were truly dark left during Voldemort's call to arms or my 'revolution', and they're all dead, in Azkaban, or doing whatever it is that Death Eaters do in their spare time. Everyone that's left are victims, survivors, and fighters. Most of the kids here are from bad homes, they've seen stuff that no one should see. You won't come across a Slytherin that hasn't got some tragic tale of abuse, or prison, or death. Most of us just want some peace and quiet. We were all we had when we had no home to go to. Even outside of Hogwarts, most of us knew each other from childhood, and shared childhood trauma tends to bring people together. We are all one big, unconventional, fucked up family. So yes, we have some personal boundaries issues."

Harry could hear the defensiveness in Draco's voice, and quickly corrected any misunderstandings he may have had, "I'm not saying it's bad or anything, actually, I kind of like it. You must have seen the newspapers and magazines when my childhood story got leaked just after Sirius's death at the Ministry." He suppressed the darkness that threatened to invade his thoughts at the memory that was still too recent and far too vivid. Thinking of the Dursley's didn't do much to lighten his mood either, especially after the revelation he'd had whilst talking to Ginny. "You know what kind of environment I grew up in, granted, it was probably luxury compared to some of you, but it had the same effects. I like being in contact with the people around me, it's reassuring that this world is real and I'm not going to just wake up from some dream and be back in that place."

"Trust me, it's real. You don't have the mental capacity to imagine something like this," Draco quipped, his pale lips quirking up at the corners. "And don't wash over your past like that, I was quite shocked when I read about it. It was different from us, but also very similar, in a way. I will have to make you an honorary Slytherin," he smirked, "One of us, one of us."

The brunette nearly jumped a foot into the air when all the heads in the immediate vicinity turned almost simultaneously in their direction. The action and a few quick whispers had the majority of the room looking their way. A few offered small smiles or nods of acknowledgment before resuming their activities as if nothing had happened. It was now painfully evident that despite the apparent nonchalance, they were clearly being listened in on. "Bloody Slytherins, with your bloody eavesdropping, and your bloody hivemind," Harry grumbled.

"Don't complain, it's one of the reasons why no one cares that you're here," Draco continued, a thoughtful look on his face, "We can sense something about you. You really should have let the hat put you here, you know. And even though it didn't, and you're a Gryffindor, and we hate each other, you _have_ recently been fighting hard for us. You've made it quite clear that you're actively supporting our little rebellion, and we are grateful for our newfound freedom and those that are helping us claim and maintain it. Funny thing, suddenly not having a Dark Lord and his followers constantly breathing down your neck; petty squabbles and rivalries just don't seem to matter anymore. Don't get me wrong, we're under no illusions that the path we've chosen will be easy, but it's quite nice having the opportunity to make our own decisions, our own futures. Or having a future at all, for that matter. A lot of us didn't expect to make it past graduation, and now…" he broke off, a small, wistful smile playing at his lips as he stared unseeingly into the distance, "call us naïve, but now we're feeling just a little bit more hopeful."

"You know, we think a lot alike, you and I." Harry looked down, sad, drawing idle patterns over Draco's long, lean legs.

Draco tapped him lightly on the chin, getting him to meet his gaze. "I take it you recently discovered some people _don't_ think a lot like you? Did you have an argument?"

"More of a realisation. There may have been an argument as well. Or several. I wasn't overly paying attention because my brain was just…" Harry trailed off, making a vague explosion gesture with his hands. "I wish more people would give you and the Slytherins a chance. And, I also discovered that I make Ginny very jealous because of how I am with people I'm close to. I realised that I'm happy being me, and I don't want to change for her. And I really, really don't like jealousy."

Draco nodded sharply, "Definitely. You're the Golden Boy, the Saviour; you have people fawning over you left, right and centre. You need someone who trusts you and isn't going to spend their lives rummaging through your mail, tracking your fire calls, and flying off the rails every time you smile at another person. You've walked on eggshells long enough, you need someone who's there for you, will support you, and you definitely don't need to be kept on a short leash."

Harry wanted to defend his girlfriend, his relationship, but he couldn't find the words. They all sounded weak and feeble even in his mind. If he were being honest, he had to agree. He let out a low, deep sigh, resigning himself to the truth, "I think you're right. I don't think I'm going to last with Ginny."

"What else happened? That's quite a dramatic statement for one little realisation. There must be some more juicy gossip. Tell me, tell me, tell me."

Slapping his friend's hands away before fingers could begin poking and prodding him, Harry let out a small, strained laugh, "Ginny mentioned the future, and how she was supposed to be my future. I imagined it all, just like you said; white picket fence and dog and two point three children. All of it. And I panicked. I could barely breath, that future, I can't…I don't want that."

Draco watched as Harry began idly picking at the skin on his forearm, a subconscious, anxious habit he'd seen him do a few times before when talking about difficult subjects. He delicately pulled the tan hands away and held them with his own, letting Harry play with his fingers. He had soon worked out that Harry didn't necessarily do it to hurt himself, he just needed something to distract him, numb his mind from whatever topic it was they were discussing. Whenever he caught sight of a new bruise or welt on Harry's arm, Draco knew something was bothering him. He took it upon himself to offer any help he could, or just be a listening ear, but he would never let Harry just shrug it off or pretend it's nothing. Just as Harry did for him whenever he noticed the dark circles of sleepless nights under his eyes, or his face growing a little too gaunt.

"But at the same time, I _do_ want that," Harry continued. "I do want someone special. Not someone who will hold me back from doing crazy things, but someone who will be right there doing them with me. I want to travel the world and see everything, and experience things. But I don't want to do it alone. And I'm not going to find someone who will just drop everything and follow me on every whim and spontaneous adventure I want to go on. And it's not fair of me to impose that on anyone either. I can't ask that of someone."

"You will, and you can," Draco said with a small, bittersweet smile. "There are plenty of people out there who want to travel. Even I want to travel. I want to learn medicinal potions and healing spells from all over the world. Research and gather all the information together, maybe write a book. But I also want to see mountains, and waterfalls, and the Northern Lights." He let out a small, almost indiscernible breath, "I'm sure you'll find some nice girl somewhere that will want the same."

Harry was staring at him with a wonderous look in his eyes, as if he'd never seen him before. It made Draco feel almost uncomfortable. The brunette cleared his throat, went to speak, but then fell silent again. After a while he spoke up, voice small but full of joy, "That sounds incredible, Draco."

"Maybe if you don't find this mysterious nice girl, you should just come with me." Draco made sure to keep his tone light and joking, even as his body suddenly became hyperaware of every bit of contact it shared with Harry's warmth.

"Maybe I should." Harry mimicked his tone back at him, but he couldn't help but feel a small pang of excitement run through him. Draco's plans resonated with something inside him, and he could imagine it. And hearing Draco speak so passionately about his dreams of the future made it seem almost tangible. But realisation dawned on Harry, dousing his good mood. He sighed defeatedly, "I don't know what to do. I don't think I can be with Ginny. I mean, I can, but I don't think I want to."

Draco looked at him as if he was debating whether the sky was blue or green, "Then don't be with her, Harry, it's that simple. I don't know why you're getting so angsty over it. I know you're the Saviour and all that, but she'll get over it. Especially when she realises that staying together wouldn't end happily. For either of you."

"But that's the thing, I don't think she will get over it," Harry explained. "She says she's been in love with me ever since second year, after saving her from the Chamber. That's four years, Draco. And all of our friends, all of her family, they see us as this perfect couple. Hell, I've already heard numerous people talking about moving in together, and marriage, and kids. If I break up with her, she'll be devastated. She really wants us to be the childhood sweethearts that marry straight out of school and have a happily ever after, just like her parents did, and like my parents would have if they'd lived." He distracted himself by toying with Draco's fingers, gently squeezing and releasing the tips, watching as they paled then refilled with blood. "Everyone will think I'm this horrible person that ruined the best thing that he ever had, and hurt this sweet girl, and I'll lose them all. Especially if I then just up and left to go explore the world. Well, after killing Voldemort, that is. Her family practically raised me, Draco, they're my family too. I don't want them all to hate me. And it's not just them. It's Hermione, and Remus, and Fleur and..." Harry trailed off, distraught.

Linking their fingers together, Draco brought one of the other's hands up to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to the knuckles, "If they really are your family then they love you, and they will support you in whatever makes you happy. If they turn against you over something like this, if they can be flipped by one short-term relationship that was developed during a bloody _war_ not working out, then I'm sorry, but they're not your family." Draco could see the cogs of Harry's mind whirring, making him doubt himself, envisioning the worst-case scenario, "I can't see them doing that to you, Harry. I've seen how much love all your friends and family have for you, it's really rather sickening. The family Sunday dinner might be a little tense for a while, but trust me. I honestly, truly, can't see them abandoning you, not after all you've been through together." He smiled, relieved that Harry seemed to be calming down. "Besides," He tacked on in an attempt to lighten the mood, "If it doesn't work out, and they're all garbage humans, then we'll run away together and elope on some distant sandy beach. We can adopt a child from every continent, and live in a renovated Egyptian pyramid."

"Oh, yeah, I've heard they're going pretty cheap these days. A great starter home." Harry's tone dripped sarcasm, but he offered his friend a genuine, grateful smile, "Thank you, Draco. The world always seems a little less complicated after talking to you."

"Bitch, did you just call me simple?"

"Honey, we have to stop fighting like this, for the sake of our future ethnically diverse children."

Draco laughed, holding Harry's palm up against his, showing the contrast between warm, dark tan and cold alabaster. The size difference was laughable; Harry's fingertips didn't even reach the last knuckle of Draco's. Draco was tall and slender, with long limbs and a narrow frame. Harry never experienced the growth spurt that Molly Weasley always promised he would, standing a good head shorter. Hard work and arduous chores, courtesy of the Dursley's, coupled with quidditch practice and extensive defence training had given him a more athletic, muscled body. Draco leant forward, close enough that he could twist a lock of his hair with Harry's, looking at pitch-black against silver blonde. He released him, sitting back to fully look Harry in his green eyes with his own grey.

"It's a good job that we've decided to adopt," Draco stated. "We are such opposites; our looks would just balance out. If we were able to have biological children, they would be the most plain, boring looking specimens on the planet. We can't have a bunch of boring Malfoys in the world."

"You mean Potters," Harry corrected with a grin. "Sounds like Ginny's new friend."

"Hmm?"

"It's what started all this, well, most of it anyway. Ginny was studying with some guy from her class. Apparently, they were flirting, although I didn't particularly notice. Or I might have just subconsciously not cared."

"See, she's over you already," Draco grinned at him, "I mean it, it'll all be fine. But I take it you're no longer interested in trying to impress her with your kissing skills?"

Harry stared at him, lost. It took a moment for it to register, and then he was letting out a sharp bark of laughter. Yes, that's what he'd actually come here for in the first place. It seemed almost ironic that he had wanted to improve his kissing to help save his relationship, and was now quite freely talking about ending it. Funny how things work out. "Not so much, no."

"So…what's your plan, Harry?"

Taking a moment to let it sink in that yes, he was really going to go through with it, Harry let his thoughts wonder, "I don't know. Should I go back and talk to her now? Take her somewhere nice in Hogsmead? Wait until the next Weasley family dinner?"

"There's no point stretching it out longer than necessary," Draco quickly caught the panic in Harry's eyes and hastened to add, "Having said that, it's really rather late now. It's a weekend tomorrow, take her somewhere quiet, maybe down by the lake, and have a real, honest talk."

"I'm kind of dreading going back there. I bet Ron and Hermione, and even Ginny are still awake in the common room. I don't think I can just go in and pretend like everything's okay."

Draco shrugged, "Stay here then."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely." He gave Harry a pointed look when he all but read the others mind, "No, you are not sleeping on a couch in the common room. When the last Slytherin goes to bed the fire goes out and it gets freezing in here. You've got a big day tomorrow, I don't think you should approach the situation cranky. You should sleep in a real bed, we'll just transfigure another one in the dormitory. You can sleep in as long as you want to, you look like you could use a good few hours rest."

"Thank you."

With a wink and a smirk, Draco announced his terms and conditions, "Provided that you give me a step by step, second by second retelling of all the drama that goes down. It's not often I'm privy to exclusive Harry Potter gossip. And," Draco drawled out the word long enough to have Harry narrow his eyes at him, wondering what he would demand, "If things go south, come and hide out in here until the storm passes." He cocked his head to the side, eyes almost imperceptibly darting around the room, "Actually, feel free to come in here whenever you like. It's not as if we can keep you out now, anyway."

Pansy Parkinson and Theodore Knott, the couple who had been lying quietly by the fire, lifted their heads, staring at Harry, "Parseltongue?" They asked simultaneously.

"Er, yeah." Harry said, suddenly feeling a little nauseous, "Just how long have you been listening?"

But his inquiry appeared to fall on deaf ears as the two laid back down, turning away from the couch and whispering softly between themselves.

"You get used to it," Draco offered rather unhelpfully, "Everyone hears everything. It's the walls, I think, they echo."

Harry stared at him incredulously, but then shrugged, deciding that honestly, he didn't care. He felt like a weight he hadn't known he'd been carrying was finally lifted off his shoulders. He didn't think he could bring himself to care about anything at the moment. His brain felt heavy and slow, an odd mixture of relief and exhaustion.

"I think you've had enough, you look dead on your…well, bum." Draco's lips curled up playfully, "Let's get you to bed before I have to carry you, because I am _not_ carrying you."

"Even if I ask nicely?"

"Especially if you ask nicely." Draco smirked, then frowned, pale eyebrows knitting together in confusion, "Was that even an insult? Did that it even make any sense?"

Harry laughed at him, shoving the blonde's legs from his lap and standing, offering a hand up to the other, "Nope. Your brain has turned to mush, so I think it's well past your bedtime, too. Come on."

###

" _Lectulo_."

" _Stratum torus_."

" _Somnum cubitura_."

" _Exemplum replicara_."

" _Imitoduplae._ "

" _Engorgio_."

The almost constant flashing of magic died down and the increasingly desperate sounding spells turned into muttered cursing and deep sighs. Draco twirled his wand with one hand, the other planted firmly on a jutted hip. Harry crossed his arms, frowning in thought.

"I wondered when you two would give up."

They spun from where they were stood at the foot of Draco's bed at the patronisingly sweet female voice. They saw Pansy and Theo leaning casually in the doorway.

"How long have you been there?" Harry asked, scratching the back of his head, "Why didn't you offer to help?"

Pansy glanced at him, looking as if deciding whether he was worthy of her attention. She must have decided he wasn't as she quite deliberately turned towards the blonde, "Draco, honey, I expected better from you. Surely you know that beds in the dormitories cannot be transfigured, replicated, extended, or any other kind of created or altered."

"They can't?"

"No, honey." She stepped further into the room, perching elegantly at the edge of one of the beds. She patted the quilt thoughtfully, "Don't you think Theo and I would have done that to this thing a long time ago if we could? There's rules and magic in place to stop things happening that everyone knows happens anyway. The staff can't stop students from having sex, but they can damn well make sure it's as uncomfortable as possible."

Theo sat next to his girlfriend with a look that somehow managed to be sympathetic and suggestive, "If you want to host a sleepover, of any kind, you've got to be prepared to host it in a three-by-six-foot area."

Pansy looked at her best friend and his guest, expectation and anticipation clear on her face, "So, what will it be, boys, top and tails, or spooning?"

"I am not spooning Harry in front of you."

"That sounded an awful lot like you will be when I'm not looking."

"Shut up, Pans." Draco hesitated a glance at Harry, expecting to find him looking embarrassed and flustered. Instead, the boy just took off his glasses to scrub tiredly at his face, exuding relaxed indifference. The Slytherin crossed the small distance to his bed, turned, and casually yet elegantly fell back onto it. He stretched his legs out and propped himself up on straightened arms so he could look at Harry, "Whatever, I'm exhausted, you're exhausted. I'm game if you are."

Harry shrugged one shoulder, nodding slightly, "Yeah, of course, I'd already reached that conclusion."

Pansy and Theo shared an unreadable look. "It's no fun when you don't put up a fight," She pouted, this time addressing Harry as well as Draco. Harry wasn't sure whether that was a sign of her warming to him, or a warning for him to run and hide.

"It's just sleeping with a friend. _Next to_ a friend," Draco hastened to clarify when a suggestive gleam entered her dark eyes.

"After six years of sharing a dorm with four other blokes in close proximity, sleeping what, three, four foot closer to one hardly makes a difference." Harry added as he kicked off his shoes at the foot of Draco's bed. He undid his tie and placed it on Draco's bedside table, nestling his glasses and wand on top. "Besides, it's not like it's the first time either of us have shared a bed with someone."

Draco frowned at that, but quickly hid it as Harry flopped down on the bed beside him, "It isn't?"

Harry put his hands behind his head, looking up at the green canopy, "Of course not. You ever been in a Weasley twin sandwich? It's not as fun as it sounds. That whole family snores like a freight train." He tilted his head to peer up at Draco through thick, dark lashes, "And I've heard plenty of stories about your many escapades."

"Hmm," Draco hummed noncommittally. He looked past Harry to where Theo was opening his mouth to speak and briefly locked eyes with his friend, giving an almost imperceptible shake of his head. Theo's eyes narrowed but he nodded, keeping quiet. Draco looked down at Harry, glad the boy seemed oblivious to the small exchange as he had closed his eyes, a small smile playing on his relaxed face. "Come on, Harry, get ready for bed before you fall asleep, we're not heathens."

Harry scrunched up his face, groaning, but let out a sigh of acceptance. He rolled straight off the bed and came up onto his feet in one fluid motion, grabbing his wand off the table. He also took one of Draco's quills, transfiguring it into a toothbrush. He wandered over to the door that lead towards the bathroom, humming a little tune as he disappeared from view.

"He is _way_ too comfortable here," Pansy observed, her face a mix of disgusted and disturbed.

Draco shrugged, getting up to trail after his friend, "I'm kind of glad he is."

"I bet you are."

The blonde paused, one hand on the door handle. He looked over his shoulder, meeting the witch with a hard, defensive gaze. She stared back challengingly. They reached a tense stalemate for a moment before Draco closed his eyes, letting out a low breath, ducking his head in defeat. He went into the bathroom, plastering on a cheerful smile that grew decidedly more genuine when Harry gave him a silly little wave, hair mussed and toothbrush sticking out of his mouth.

The two finished their nightly routines with light-hearted conversation interspersed with contagious yawns, briefly joined by Theo and Pansy. Harry was glad that the Slytherin bathroom was laid out the same as the Gryffindor one, with a line of sinks along one wall and cubicles for toilets and showers along the other, making it easier for him to navigate his way around.

Emerging from the bathroom, the pair shared knowing smirks and raised eyebrows when they saw the curtains of Theo's bed drawn tight around the frame. The room was silent, almost too silent, giving away the heavy amount of privacy charms that must be placed around it.

"Do you want to borrow a shirt?" Draco asked as he began changing into his own night clothes. They were both on their house's quidditch teams and had gotten changed around each other so many times before in the boys' locker room that Draco didn't feel in the slightest bit embarrassed. It helped that he knew he had a great body.

"Sure, thanks."

"Shorts?"

"Yes, please." Harry reflexively turned to catch the garments as they were launched blindly over Draco's shoulder at his head. As he did, he got a full view of Draco's naked body, "Modest as ever. Nice butt."

Draco pulled a comfortable t-shirt over his head and slid a pair of rather short cotton shorts up his legs. He turned to Harry, not bothering to hide his staring as Harry stood in nothing but his boxers, his arms up over his head as he pulled on his own shirt, exposing well developed, tan muscles. "Thanks, I grew it myself. Could say the same to you, modesty is certainly not your middle name."

Harry's head popped out of the neckline with a grin, and the shirt's material settled around his short frame, the hem coming to his mid-thigh. He quickly swapped his boxers for the shorts before striking a pose like he was some sort of catwalk diva, "You've seen it all before, it's not like I've developed a secret third leg between our last quidditch practice and now."

With a tilted head, Draco exaggerated a look down towards certain private areas of anatomy, "Third leg? Is that what they're calling it these days? Seems a little generous."

The brunette flushed at that one, letting out an indignant squeak as he pulled the hemline of the shirt even lower. He straightened up, his flustering turning to a glare when Draco just laughed at him. He stepped forward, reaching up to flick the blonde on the end of his pointed nose. He let the hand lower to Draco's chest, absently smoothing over the soft material, "I never took you for a shorts and t-shirt kinda guy. Kinda thought you'd deck out in head to toe silk, or something. Not that it's not appreciated. The booty shorts are definitely appreciated."

"Do you realise how uncomfortable and hot that would be? It would be impossible to sleep. This is much preferable." He stepped away, heading to the bed to settle down comfortably. He propped his head up so he could watch as Harry approached, "Besides, full silk on you wouldn't look nearly half as cute as this."

Harry grinned, rolling his eyes as he climbed into bed beside Draco, "You know, one day your messing around with people is going to get you in trouble." He reached up to pull the curtains around the bed, missing the small frown Draco developed at his words. As an afterthought he applied a few privacy charms for good measure, "Where are the rest of your dormmates?"

"It's just me, Theo and Blaise now. Crabbe and Goyle never came back to school, they've joined the Dark Lord for good. Blaise is a complete night owl, he naps all day and barely sleeps at night, I doubt he'll be coming up here anytime soon."

"Sorry to hear about Crabbe and Goyle. I knew they weren't at Hogwarts anymore, but didn't really give much thought as to why. Ignorance is bliss, as they say. And to beat you to it, no that doesn't mean I'm the happiest man on the planet, sod."

Draco rolled onto his side to face him with a grin, "I didn't say a thing."

Harry pulled the duvet up over them both, also lying down on his side so he could be face to face with the Slytherin. They were so close in the tiny bed that they could feel the other's breath ghosting across their skin. They lay for a moment in comfortable silence, just watching the other peacefully in the dim light that came from some unknown source. Harry reached up a hand, gently caressing it against a pale forehead, snagging a stray lock of long blonde hair and brushing it back behind Draco's ear.

Draco's heart beat a steady, hard rhythm in his chest, but it seemed to almost stop when he remembered something Harry had said earlier. He diverted his gaze as best he could with the close proximity, staring down at the pillow they shared, "So, a Weasley twin sandwich?"

Snorting lightly, Harry nodded his head, "The Burrow was full to capacity; everyone and their mother seemed to be visiting. I had the choice of sharing a single bed with Ron, or a double with the twins. I figured it was the lesser of two evils. It was hot."

A nasty, unpleasant feeling was growing in Draco's chest, crawling up the back of his throat, "I bet it was," he muttered, his words a little harsher than intended.

"Piss off, I didn't mean hot like that, I meant temperature hot." Harry smirked, a thoughtful look on his face, "Although, kinda hot like that too; they're good looking guys, just a shame they're really not my type. I prefer prettier faces over classically handsome, you know?"

Draco frowned deeply, pulling back as much as he could to stare searchingly into green eyes, "Harry, do you…do you like guys?"

"Yeah, I'm bisexual," Harry said easily, but he quickly grew worried when Draco's eyes went wide with shock. "I, I'm sorry, I didn't think you would mind. I didn't mean to…I'll just…" He started to sit up, already planning a hasty retreat to a location far, far away from the dungeons.

The blonde darted out a hand, clasping it around Harry's shoulder, effectively stilling him, "No, no, of course I don't mind, I just…why didn't you ever tell me?"

Harry slowly let himself relax as the pressure never left his arm, "I've never hidden it, I always thought I was quite obvious in fact, but I've never felt the need to announce it either. If someone asked me, I would tell them, but they never ask." Harry looked unsure of himself as several emotions seemed to flicker across the other's face, "Look, are you sure you don't mind? Because if you've got a problem with this, I'd rather you just tell me now and get it over with."

"No, Harry, I…" Grey eyes stared into green, defensively hesitant yet strangely pleading, "I'm gay."

Harry gaped at him, stunned into silence, before reaching up a hand to slap at Draco's chest, "You bastard, you had me worried, there! And why didn't _you_ ever tell _me?_ "

"I…forgot." Draco raised a hand to catch Harry's wrist from where he was about to hit him again, "All the Slytherins know, and probably most of the school, it's probably the worst kept secret in Hogwarts. By the time I realised you didn't know, you were with Ginny, and it just…there was never a good time. I've not let myself overly think about it until this morning, when you asked me about the rumours of my sexual exploits."

Scandalised, Harry tried to free his hand, but it was futile, "And you told me they were true!"

"No, I didn't," Draco spoke softly.

Harry thought back to the potions class, reliving the conversation in his head. "No," He murmured, "I guess you didn't. but you didn't exactly lead me to believe that they _weren't_ true, either."

Draco looked sheepish at that one, "I know, I'm sorry."

"So, all the stories and rumours, they're all false?"

The Slytherin's face burned red, and he hoped it wasn't glaringly noticeable in the darkness, "I've kissed and such before, but I'm still a virgin, Harry."

"Well, I think we've established from my lack of even having shared a decent snog with another person that I am also very much a virgin."

Draco just shook his head, covering his face with one hand, letting out a dry chuckle, "Merlin, we're both such fucking idiots."

Harry smiled toothily but frowned, remembering something Draco had mentioned earlier, "Why did me being with Ginny stop you from telling me you're gay?"

"Well, you were in a committed and what I thought was a happy relationship. I wasn't going to be _that person_ that interferes in someone's relationship and potentially ruins their happiness."

Confused, Harry tilted his head to look at him square on, "Why would you being gay effect my rela-…oh. Oh!"

Draco buried his face in both his hands. If he'd been able to, he would have curled up into a ball, shielding himself from the dawning realisation on Harry's face. Damn these small beds. Damn the school rules. Damn the faculty and their conservative views.

"Draco, Draco, look at me, please," Harry wrapped small hands around much larger ones, gently prying them away. He cupped Draco's face, forcing the blonde to look up, "Do you like me?"

"I've been flirting relentlessly with you for the last four months, Potter, what do you think?" Draco bit out harshly, going on the defensive.

Harry chuckled lowly, a strangely relieved look in his dancing eyes, "I think I have to agree with your earlier statement that we're both fucking idiots. I thought you were just messing with me this whole time. I thought you'd figured out that I like you and were just using it as a means to tease me."

"You like me?"

"Well, yeah. You're pretty incredible, Draco," Harry ran a thumb over the smooth skin under a storm grey eye, "But I didn't dwell on my little crush because I didn't think it would, or could, go anywhere. And I didn't want to risk it changing things between us, I like what we have. I was quite content to just let it sit on the backburner if it meant I could still be your friend."

Draco sat up a little, placing a hand on Harry's chest, pushing him until he was laid down on his back. He kept his hand there, using it to support himself as he edged closer, leaning over him. His moved in, so close that his loose, chin length hair bushed against a tan face, "Can I kiss you?"

Harry didn't respond verbally, instead a hand came to glide through blonde hair, applying pressure to guide Draco closer. He didn't stop until soft lips were against his in a gentle, sweet kiss. Draco pulled back slightly, staring down at him with unmasked happiness in his eyes, and Harry knew his own face reflected the same. Taking the initiative, Draco leant down again, capturing the lips with more force, slowly letting it build more heated, massaging and manipulating the warm flesh of his lips until Harry was struggling for breath. He moved to place delicate and not so delicate kisses along the boy's face and jaw, grinning when Harry all but melted under the attention, letting out soft mewls and hitched breaths. When he experimentally suckled at the soft flesh below Harry's ear and sharp teeth caught the lobe for the briefest of moments before a hot, wet tongue soothed the delicious spike of pain, Harry clutched at him desperately, hands fisted in the back of his shirt and hair.

Growing brave, Harry used his grip and their position to send them tumbling until he was the one looming over Draco. He lost his balance in the quick change of position, throwing his leg haphazardly over the blonde to stop himself from landing heavily on his chest or cracking their heads together. They froze, staring at each other like deer caught in headlights, their unexpectedly intimate position leaving nothing to the imagination as their lower halves pressed flush together.

Not wanting to give Harry enough time to overthink and potentially ruin the moment, Draco let his eyes soften, a playful smirk on his face. He arched up to press small kisses to full lips, coaxing and teasing until he could feel Harry relax against him. He ran his hands down Harry's sides, over his hips and towards his bare thighs, where he firmly guided the other into a more comfortable position. Strong legs bent and gripped at his waist and the smaller body was straddling him fully. He kept his hands where they were, caressing the soft skin of Harry's thighs and thinly clothed hips, ducking under the hemline of his shirt to splay across his lower back, and occasionally daring to feel the firm muscle of his arse through the fabric of his shorts.

Harry felt inexperienced and clumsy, but the possessive hands, the blown, hungry look in grey eyes, and the hot hardness pressing up against him was empowering, making him feel wanted, needed, like he never had before. He balled up his Gryffindor confidence and flicked his tongue against Draco's top lip before slightly pulling the bottom between his own, massaging and nibbling like Draco had done to him. Draco seemed to understand his desires and intentions, applying his own attention to Harry's lips before easily granting him entrance, allowing Harry to take control and explore unfamiliar territory. Harry took his time to navigate and learn, memorising what drew soft whimpers or louder, deeper moans from the boy beneath him. Deciding to give Harry a taste of what it's like to be thoroughly and properly kissed, Draco danced their tongues together, sucking and stroking before pushing back, taking the playful battle into Harry's mouth. By the time he was through with him, Draco had become addicted to the taste of mint toothpaste mixed with the sugary sweetness that was purely Harry. Harry himself was left flushed and panting for breath, a low moan of Draco's name escaping his lips before those lips attached firmly to a pale neck.

"Merlin, Harry!" Draco cried out at the rough treatment, squirming in delicious arousal as Harry ravished his neck, not bothering to take it slow as he bit and sucked and licked relentlessly. Draco could feel his hips giving short, sharp little jolts up into the body above him and he gripped Harry's hips firmly, guiding them both into a slower, deeper rocking motion.

"Fuck!" Harry managed to gasp out into the hot, dampened skin of Draco's neck. Suddenly he was on his back again, a tongue in his mouth, and he was clinging onto the blonde for dear life as the heavier weight settled between his legs, thrusting their straining bulges together. He would be forever grateful for Draco's choice of sleepwear, the stretchy, thin, loose fabric not proving to be very restrictive. He spread his thighs wider, allowing Draco more contact, holding his legs up awkwardly for a moment before deciding to wrap them around Draco's waist, using the position to draw him impossibly closer. The friction was too hard, too fast, too perfect, and Harry pulled his head away, "Fuck, Draco, I'm gunna…"

Draco could feel his own release coming and buried his face in Harry's neck as he moved them together. He bit down into flushed, salty skin as they came, hard, bodies shuddering. He collapsed to Harry's side, exhausted but not wanting to crush the other under his larger frame. He snaked his arms underneath Harry, drawing him close. They lay together, breathing heavy and hearts pounding, Harry with his head on Draco's shoulder and pressed close to his side, a leg thrown over the blonde's waist. Draco's arms wrapped around him, tight enough to be possessive but loose enough to not make them uncomfortable in the hot, sticky aftermath of their deeds.

"I don't know why you were coming to me for kissing advice. You seemed fine. More than fine. Fantastic even."

Harry could hear the smile on the other's lips and when he propped his chin on the pale chest sure enough, it was there, "You know, that's the first time I've really got it. I understand what all the fuss is about now. That was fucking incredible!" He had a large, dopey grin on his lips, and he soaked in the sight of Draco looking thoroughly mussed and sated, committing it to memory. His eyes travelled down the pale expanse of neck before his smile faltered, "Oh god, Draco, I didn't mean to…shit."

"Let me guess, my neck looks like it went through ten rounds with a hippogriff? You did practically attack me, I should have known a Gryffindor would be rough." He hastened to continue as Harry ducked his face, ashamed, "Hey, hey, relax, if I didn't like it, I would have told you to stop. But I do like it. Love it, actually. You're sporting quite the hickey yourself." Draco ran a pale finger over the angry looking, tender flesh before suddenly freezing, his breath catching in his throat, "Oh Merlin, _what have we done?_ "

The brunette met his panicked gaze, his own worried and uncertain, "Do you…do you regret it? We can pretend it never happened, I can just-" He cut of when those fingers pressed against his lips, quietening him.

"No, Harry, of course I don't, I've wanted this for so long. I really liked being with you, and I want to continue being with you," Draco let out a deep sigh, head falling back against the pillow. His hands traced idle patterns over Harry's arm and back as he stared up at the canopy, "I just, we shouldn't have let it happen. Not now, at least. You've got a _girlfriend_ Harry. Merlin I…I'm Harry Potter's bloody mistress!"

Harry rested his head back on Draco's chest, his ear over his heart, listening to the rhythm, "I know, this was really shitty of me. I should have broke it off with her before telling you how I feel, before…before doing the rest of what we did. But…does it really matter? I'd already decided we were over, I'm breaking up with her tomorrow anyway."

"Harry, can't you understand the backlash of this? Everyone will know you never returned to the Tower last night, and I'm guessing you even told them all that you were going to be with me?" At Harry's small nod, he let out a sigh, continuing, "So, you disappear all night, then turn up at Gryffindor the next morning looking thoroughly ravished, then what? Break up with Weasley then immediately declare that you're now seeing me? They'll all know you cheated, Harry, and some things…some things aren't forgiven so easily."

"Declare I'm seeing you? Does that mean you want us to, you know, be in a proper relationship? Like dating, and being boyfriends?"

"Yes, you idiot," Draco's small smile turned into a frown, and he coaxed Harry's head back up so he could look at him, "Unless…do _you_ want that?"

"God, yes." Harry said definitively without a moment of hesitation, "But, you know, we can be in a relationship without publicly declaring it, we don't have to tell anyone."

Draco was still frowning, and his eyes narrowed, "Ignoring the events of tonight, I will not be your dirty little secret, Harry. If we're going to do this, I want to do it properly. No hiding, no secrets, no sneaking around. I want to be able to kiss you whenever and wherever I like. I want to be able to talk to you openly and hold your hand."

"I want all of that too, but you need to realise, I'm still very much in the public eye. Remember the outcry when the press found out I was with Ginny? Are you ready for that? It won't just be our friends, or the school, it'll be the whole world looking at us."

"I don't care. I want you, all of you."

Harry smiled at him, placing a warm, slow, happy kiss to his lips. He reached past Draco, sticking his hand out the curtains to blindly snatch his wand off the bedside table. He cast cleansing charms over them, their clothes, and the bed before settling back down into the crook of Draco's arm with a yawn, "I can't wait. For us, that is. The rest will suck, but we'll figure it out. But please, can we figure it out in the morning?"

Draco was about to protest, demand that they get a plan of action made here and now, but a quick check of the time and the exhausted look on Harry's face gave him pause. They were both physically and emotionally drained, and Harry needed sleep for what was facing him tomorrow. He nodded, tangling their legs together, and held Harry close as they drifted off to sleep.

* * *

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* * *

To Be Continued (within 24 hours).

Happy Reading,  
Love,  
Bambi x


	3. 3: Revelation

Hello, Readers :)  
My milkshake brings Dean and Seamus to the yard, 'cause I'm like, that's all I want.

So, we're finished, and this...well it went somewhere. I'm happy where it's ended, but if I get enough requests for some sort of epilogue I'll consider adding one.

* * *

###

* * *

"I told you, Theo, I knew they were cuddlers."

"I'm just glad neither of them snores."

"I wonder if Potter's tan continues all the way down his-"

"Hey! What the…" Draco exclaimed loudly, opening his eyes to the bright dormitory. The curtains of his bed were pulled back and Pansy, Theo and Blaise peered down at him. He felt a warm, shifting weight against his body; him and Harry, he amended.

Harry blinked large, owlish eyes around the room, woken up by the commotion, his gaze growing decidedly more focused when he saw the situation he was in. He pulled up slowly from where he was almost entirely draped across Draco, reaching for his glasses. He arranged the duvet to better cover them from the waist down, moving so they could both fully sit up and face the figurative music.

"This is a rather rude awakening, even for you, Pans," Draco muttered, scrubbing the back of his head with a yawn. To his audience's surprise, he didn't appear the slightest bit embarrassed about being caught in such a compromising position with Harry. He stifled another yawn, "Merlin, what time is it?"

"Just after six," The girl crossed her arms stubbornly, "And you should be thanking me, honey. I figured your sleeping beauty here would want to be up and back at Gryffindor Tower _before_ everyone leaves for breakfast. I assume you want the presumably inevitable confrontations that are imminently scheduled to be contained within the lion's den? Unless your plan was to just strut into the Great Hall this morning, hand in hand, and damn the consequences?"

Draco let out a tense breath, massaging his temples as if developing a headache, "No, we're not that stupid. Thanks, Pans."

"Thank me by sorting out your mess, imbeciles. Get up, make yourselves presentable, and get your shit together." She nodded her head once, with an air of finality, before heading to the bathroom.

"Any advice, guys?" Draco asked Theo and Blaise hopefully. They just stared down at him, unamused and unaffected by his pleading.

"You're on your own with this one."

"You've made your bed, or rather, fucked Harry Potter in it, so lie in it, brother."

The two turned away dismissively, either ignorant or uncaring of Draco's defensive, indignant cries and Harry's embarrassed sputtering. The couple on the bed gaped at each other before the tension seemed to drain out of their bodies. Their shoulders slumped and their heads bowed defeatedly. They slowly got out of bed, going about their normal morning routines, knowing their time was limited.

"What are we going to do, Harry?"

Harry recast cleaning spells on himself and his clothes from yesterday for good measure, before yanking them on. "I don't know. I'll meet Ginny in the common room before she leaves for breakfast and break up with her. The rest is still a work in progress."

"Are you going to tell her _why_ you're breaking up with her?"

"Sure. I don't feel for her in the way that I should, I cannot be what she needs or wants, and I don't see us ever having a successful, happy relationship." Harry nodded, heading into the bathroom to wash up.

Draco trailed after him, carrying on their conversation as they got ready, "And what are you going to say about where you've been? About me? About that?" He pointed his toothbrush in the direction of the still dark bruise on Harry's neck.

The brunette absently pointed his wand at it, casting a small glamour that instantly hid the evidence of their deeds, "We _are_ wizards, Draco. You might want to do the same." He grinned cheekily, eyeing up the damage he'd inflicted on pale skin. He let his smile turn more sombre, "I'll tell her I have feelings for someone else. I'll even tell her who, if she asks. There won't be much point in lying about it anyway, she'll know as soon as we make our relationship known."

"I don't know, Harry. She knows you were here with me last night, she's not stupid, she'll put two and two together. Even if she has no proof, she'll suspect you're a cheater. It could ruin your reputation, not to mention your relationship with your friends and her family. Cheating is a big deal, Harry, and it will only take one whisper to the press and that's what you'll be associated with, forever. And you might never be forgiven."

Harry frowned into the white porcelain of the sink before splashing cold water on his face, "She wouldn't do that, would she? I know she'll be angry and upset, but she wouldn't go that far, right? We were really good friends before we started dating. She will probably hate me, but I don't think she'd try to ruin me."

"Are you willing to take that risk?"

Green eyes locked with grey as Draco moved to stand behind him and they looked at each other in the mirror. Harry was looking utterly distraught, and Draco wrapped his arms around him, pulling Harry's back flush to his chest and resting his head atop the messy locks. Draco wanted to tell him it would all be okay, to whisper sweet nothings and nonsensical promises into his ear until those eyes lightened and a smile broke across that handsome face, but he couldn't. He wouldn't lie to Harry. Especially not about something like this.

"Fine, fine, I'll do it!" Pansy exclaimed loudly as she bustled through the door, startling them both and drawing their attention.

"You'll do…what, Pans?"

The witch rolled her eyes at her friend, shaking a finger at him like she was scolding a small child, "I'll rescue your ungrateful, moronic, train wreck arse, of course. Again, might I add. Yours too, you cheating, morally corrupt, scumbag," She fixed her glare onto Harry as she uttered the last part. Her tone was light, almost affectionate, jarring rather scarily with her stern face. "I'll spread the word that yes, whilst it's true you _were_ here, nothing happened between you two. You chatted about boring shit like quidditch, then Draco went to bed in the dormitory whilst Harry slept on the couch. I can even throw in that I definitely know nothing was going on as I was also in the dormitory last night."

"You would do that? Thank you." Harry asked, staring at her in wonder.

"I'm not doing it for you, Potter, I'm doing it for him," She said, nodding her head towards Draco.

Harry felt the corners of his lips quirking up, "Even so, I'm still thankful."

"Don't get all soppy on me now, imbecile. Just remember; if you ever, _ever_ , mess around my best friend and treat him like you're treating the Weasley girl, I will murder you." Her tone left no doubt to the sincerity of her words. Satisfied when Harry gulped and nodded, she spun on her heel and left, calling over her shoulder, "Now, for the love of Merlin, fix your hair and leave, won't you?"

###

Harry had never felt more trepidation than he did right at that moment. Not even coming up against Voldemort compared to the gut-wrenching, bile-inducing, knee-trembling nervousness that came with the simple task of opening the entrance to his common room to meet his fate.

"I know that look, dear," The Fat Lady spoke softly from her frame, eyeing him up and down, "The look of a man torn two ways."

Harry straightened up a little at that, frowning at her pretty face, "I'm not torn. I know who I want to be with."

"I never said you were torn between two lovers, child. You are at a forked road between a difficult life of happiness and an easy life of misery." She looked at him, assessing, "You seem to have decided which path you want to walk. I hope she's worth it."

Letting out a deep breath, Harry squared his shoulders, putting on an air of confidence he didn't feel and willing his hands to stop shaking, "Yeah, he is. _Societatis_."

She gave him one long, hard, contemplating look before bowing her head, swinging open her portrait with an elegant gesture of her hand. He walked in, head held high and a falsely cheerful grin on his face, resisting the urge to check his hair and glamours in every reflective surface.

"Where have you been?" Hermione shrieked as her eyes landed on him, "We were worried sick!"

Harry strode over to her, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek in greeting, doing the same to Ron when he ambled over significantly calmer, "I was studying with Draco, and then we were just chatting. Before we knew it, it had gotten really late. He offered to let me crash in their common room, and I accepted. Sorry, guys, I didn't mean to scare you."

"You were with that slimy git and the snakes all night? Did they hurt you, have you been poisoned, did they cast _Imperio_ on you?" Ron looked ready to start a fight.

Taking the time to pick his words, knowing the more elaborate the lie the higher the chance of him being caught out, Harry shook his head, "No, nothing like that. Draco and the rest of the Slytherins all slept in the dormitories." He figured telling half-truths and blurring the details of real events would make his story easier to swallow.

"Well, I don't approve, but I'm glad you're okay," Hermione said with a stern tone, her hands on her hips like a mother disciplining her wayward child, "And let us know the next time you plan on disappearing for hours at a time. It's nice to know whether we need to send out a search party or not."

Harry looked down, sheepish, "Yeah, I will do. Sorry, guys."

A shrill shriek could be heard from the other end of the common room. Ginny was bounding down the stairs that lead up to the girls' dormitory, loudly shouting Harry's name. She ran towards him, launching herself at him, her arms wrapping tight around his neck. She placed a large, heavily glossed, smacking kiss to his lips, "Oh, Harry, I'm sorry we fought yesterday. Were you wandering the corridors all night thinking about it? Were you unable to come back because you weren't sure how to make it up to me? Have you spent the night thinking up ways to apologise?"

"Err, no, not quite." Harry reared his head back, setting as much distance between their faces as possible, and reached behind his head to forcible unlock her arms from their death grip. He used his hold on her to not so gently push her off of him and took a step back, "Look, Ginny, we need to talk."

She frowned at his behaviour, but it was soon replaced with a smile and enthusiastic nodding, "Oh, baby, no need to be so dramatic and moody. You know I'll forgive you, silly."

"No, Ginny, listen to me, I…" He looked around the busy common room, seeing that more than a few were not so subtly listening in to their conversation, "Can we take a seat? Or a walk? I think we should speak a little more privately."

"Oi, mate, anything you've got to say to Ginny you can say in front of me, alright?" Ron stepped in, placing a protective hand on his sister's narrow shoulder.

Ginny crossed her arms, pouting, "Yeah, babe, anything you say to me you can say in front of all our friends. We're Gryffindors, we don't have secrets."

 _No, because you're a bunch of bloody gossips_ Harry thought to himself, the voice in his head sounding eerily like Draco's. And when had the you Gryffindors become 'you' not 'we'? He shook his head to clear it before addressing her, "If you insist. Ginny, we need to break up."

The room fell deathly silent and the air felt thick, buzzing with tension. Ginny looked ready to burst out into tears, and Ron didn't look far from punching him. He quickly decided that some elaboration was definitely in need, "Look, I love you, Ginny, but I'm not _in_ love with you. I thought things would change between us when we started dating, but I still feel exactly the same. I feel for you like you're a close friend, like I always have, and nothing more. There will never be anything more."

"But Harry, we're perfect together! We're going to have a future, and get married, and you're going to be part of my family, and we're going to have our own family!"

Harry shook his head, "No, Ginny, I don't want that stuff. At least, not in the same way you do. We're not compatible, I can't give you what you want, and I certainly can't give you what you need."

Ginny did burst into tears at that, and she threw herself into her older brother's arms. Ron held his sister tight, glaring at Harry over her head, "How could you do this to her, Harry? She loves you. She's the best you'll ever have. She's well out of your league, and yet, what, she's still not good enough for the famous Harry Potter?"

Surprisingly, Hermione stepped forward, standing beside Harry in a show of solidarity, "Ron, don't be ridiculous, you know Harry's not like that. If he doesn't love her in that way, then it's best he ends things now rather than string her along. I know it hurts her, but in the long run, she's being saved a lot of pain."

"How dare you take his side? Ginny's heartbroken!"

"And what about Harry?" Hermione shouted at him, losing her temper, "Not all relationships work, Ronald, get over it. Be there for your sister, comfort her. Hell, go sneak into the kitchens and eat ice cream and gossip about how he's not worth her. Just don't ruin your friendship with Harry, because that's special, Ron. Especially when he's doing the right thing."

Harry smiled warmly at her, glad she was being so understanding and supportive, "Thanks, Hermione."

"Don't get me wrong, Harry, I'm upset too, and I feel bad for Ginny, but I won't begrudge you for this." She returned his smile, "I actually saw it coming a while ago; I was going to talk to you about it soon if you didn't figure out your feelings on your own. I could see that you were both wanting and feeling different things." Her smile grew larger, and she let out a small, dark chuckle, "Besides, we're _sixteen_. We're going to make mistakes, and we're still learning about all this difficult stuff. How screwed would we all be if we had to stick with the first relationship we ever got into?"

"Is that why your taking his side?" Ron bellowed, angrily, "Because I'm dating Lavender and you don't like her?"

"No, Ronald," Hermione blew away a lock of hair that had fallen across her face with an agitated breath, "This isn't about you, or me. It's about Harry and Ginny."

Ginny turned her head from where it was buried in Ron's chest. She took a shaky step away from him and towards Harry, pointing an accusing finger, "Is that why you didn't come back last night? Were you up all night talking to you little _friend_ about me? Were you talking and laughing about me behind me back? Did _he_ tell you to break up with me?" She didn't give Harry time to respond as a thought seemed to strike her. She gasped in a shaking breath, narrowing her eyes further, "Or were you even there at all? Were you off shagging some bint? Is he covering for you? Is there someone else?"

Harry raised his hands defensively. His stomach was clenching painfully, and he felt seconds away from being sick. He felt awful, he had betrayed her, and he knew he was more than deserving of her wrath. But Draco wasn't, he didn't deserve to have his name dragged through the mud because of him. He would tell her the truth, but only parts of it, and say nothing that would incriminate the other, "No, I was in Slytherin all night. I did talk to Draco about us, but only because I was confused. He just helped me see clearly and sort out my emotions, that's all."

"So he _did_ tell you to break up with me!" Her cry was more a statement than a question.

"No, Ginny. Things were never going to work between us, no matter what anyone else said or did. He saved us from a lot of heartache by making me really think about my feelings for you and h-…and stuff." Harry quickly corrected, his running mouth almost ruining everything.

"Your feelings for who?" Ginny shrieked, jabbing a finger, hard, into his chest, "Who were you going to say, Harry? _Is_ there someone else?"

Harry sighed, he didn't want to do this, but he didn't have much choice. His relationship with Draco was going to be made common knowledge very soon, anyway, so he might as well start planting the seeds, "I'm sorry, Ginny, but yes, I do have feelings for someone else. It helped me figure out that what I was feeling for you wasn't what I should be, as what I feel for him is so much…more. I want to tell him how I feel, and it wouldn't be fair to either of you if I told him my feelings whilst still with you. Even if it doesn't go anywhere, I can't continue my relationship with you knowing that I don't love you and I lo- like him." _Where had_ that _come from?_ he asked himself. Surely he didn't…he shook his head. He had other things to focus on at the moment.

" _Him?_ " Ginny shouted loudly, her voice echoing of the walls. If anyone wasn't already listening in to the heated conversation, they definitely were now. She stared at him blankly before a high, almost hysterical laugh bubbled out past her lips, "That's what this is all about? I just though you were a prude, but this, this is priceless. You realised you were gay? You've just been using me as a cover all this time?"

"I'm not gay, Ginny, I'm bisexual." Harry stated bluntly, growing frustrated. He took a deep breath, willing himself to ignore all the whispers around him, "And my sexuality has nothing to do with me breaking up with you. We just don't work, and we never will. Why can't you see that?"

Before he could ever see it coming, Ginny slapped him, hard, across the face. She shoved him roughly, and was about to again, had Hermione not taken a defensive step in front of her best friend.

"That's it, hide behind Hermione, you filthy bastard!" Ginny screeched, "I can't believe this whole time you were secretly thinking about some _bloke!_ Bisexual my arse, you're just a bloody queer or this wouldn't be a problem and you'd still want me. I don't even want you anymore, you're not even a real man. Get out of here, you're not welcome, you fucking fag!"

Hermione rounded on the girl, cold, deadly fury emanating from her in thick, almost palpable waves, "You take that back right now, Ginny. You can be upset that Harry broke up with you, and angry that he likes someone else, but you _cannot_ use hate language like that. You're lucky if I don't report you for discrimination."

She whirled around in a fly of wild hair and swishing robes, grabbing Harry by the hand and tugging him towards the door, "Come on, Harry, let's go. I will not have you suffering in the presence of such people any longer."

They almost made it to the door when Ron's voice called after them, "Yeah, run away, you sick fuck. Go run to your boyfriend, I'm sure he's got a big cock he can shove up your arse to make you feel better."

Both friends turned, ready to start an all-out war in the common room, but a short, broad figure stepped in their path, blocking them. Seamus Finnegan raised a fist and, in a blur, it connected with Ron's jaw with a resounding crack. He turned to Harry and Hermione with a cheery smile that jarred with his violent action, "Let's go breakfast, am starvin'."

In a daze, Harry and Hermione let the fiery Irishman bundle them out of the room, but they did register than Dean, Neville, and a few others quickly closed ranks and joined their little group. Harry looked at the friends surrounding him, a warm, fuzzy feeling in his stomach.

"Thanks, everyone. I honestly thought you'd all hate me if I broke up with Ginny. And I wasn't sure how people would react to me being bi, either. I know the wizarding world can be rather conservative and prejudiced. I'm really happy you're all here."

"Don't be daft," Seamus clapped a heavy hand to his shoulder, "We're not going to hate you for ending a three-week unhappy relationship. And after all you've done for us, and all we've been through, it'll take more than you liking a little dick to scare us off."

Hermione linked her arm with Harry's, bumping their shoulders lightly, "You know that anger you feel when people call me a mudblood? Well, that's how I felt when they were saying those things to you."

Dean Thomas stepped closer to the two boys and Hermione, "You guys don't get how much it meant to see you standing up for Harry. Coming out is one of the scariest things you can do. You can be surrounded by the most loving people and it's still terrifying, you never know for sure how they will react." When a few curious gazes fell on him, he let out a low, deep chuckle, a small smile playing on his handsome face, "Trust Harry to steal on the thunder and beat me to it. I'm bisexual too, guys." His grin grew as he received cheers, whistles, and several claps on the back.

"Merlin, that's not fair, now you two will be getting all the attention from the ladies _and_ the blokes," Neville chuckled, his tone joking, "Save some for us mere mortals, yeah? Guess it's just you and me now, Seamus."

"I'm gayer than a unicorn eating fruit cake on a rainbow, mate. I was the original gay, I've told everyone repeatedly, they just never seem to believe me."

Neville joined in the loud, shocked laughter that erupted from the group, "That means that with Ron out of the picture as official douchebag of the year, and if Harry hooks up with his mystery man, and if you two get together, I'm Gryffindor's most eligible bachelor!"

"Speaking of, Harry," Parvati spoke up in her light, tinkling voice, throwing her arms over Harry and Hermione's shoulders and drawing them in conspiratorially, "Who _is_ your mystery man?"

"I'm going to tell him how I feel at breakfast," Harry answered easily, "If it goes well, I'll tell you then. If it doesn't, I'll go cry in the kitchens with a plate of brownies and we'll never speak of it again. Deal?"

"Not a chance," She said, "If it doesn't go well, we'll all skive off revising charms and camp out in the kitchens with you, right everyone?"

Hermione nodded her agreement, "Of course. We can all talk about how much of a dick he is and how he's not worthy of you."

"Then we can work out a plan to hook you up with the best-looking guy at Hogwarts as the ultimate rebound," Neville joined in.

"There might be a problem with that," Harry felt a dopey, love-sick puppy grin stretch across his face, "He _is_ the best-looking guy at Hogwarts."

Harry felt his face flushing as the girls all cooed at his cuteness, and found himself getting pulled back against strong arms. He looked to either side and found himself crushed quite uncomfortably between Dean and Seamus, their arms draped over him and each other.

"You're making the rest of us queers look bad with your sentimentality and soppy words, stop out gaying us."

"Yeah, or we'll have to squash you to death in a Dean-Seamus sandwich!"

Harry leered up at Seamus with a suggestive wiggle of eyebrows, "Is that a threat? Or an offer?"

The group was laughing cheerfully as they approached the large, open doors of the Great Hall. A few students glanced their way, and a few seemed to cut off their whisperings as soon as they caught sight of Harry. _News sure travels fast round here_ , he thought to himself bitterly. Although, if it was Pansy's news over Ginny's, that could be working in his favour. He disentangled himself from Dean and Seamus, moving a few steps ahead of the group and spinning on his heel, walking backwards as he waved.

"I promised I'd catch Draco up on the gossip, but I'll be over soon. Bye, guys!"

The group seemed to have a quick, almost telepathic conversation before they were all waving back, chorusing in unison "Bi guy!"

With a huge grin on his face and an odd lightness in his steps, like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, Harry made a beeline for the Slytherin table. Draco stood to greet him, but his smile dropped to a worried frown and he turned back to the table, busying himself with something Harry couldn't see. A moment later the blonde was rushing to meet him, a makeshift icepack in his hands. They met in the middle, halfway between the Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables. Draco grabbed his chin without any preamble, turning it so he could assess something on his cheek.

"Harry, what happened?" Draco's voice was laced with concern, delicate fingers tracing over tender skin.

Wincing, Harry could feel a blush colouring his face as they stood so intimately so out in the open. He let out a small, relieved breath as Draco pressed the ice to his face, "Thanks. I broke up with Ginny. She didn't take it well."

"She hit you?" A small but strong hand clamping on his shoulder was the only thing stopping Draco from marching across the Great Hall and confronting her, "Harry, that's not right, it doesn't matter how upset or angry she is, she can't hit you."

"I'm fine, really, it all just got a bit messy. Seamus punched Ron too. I think it's best to just forget about it."

Draco pried the icepack away slightly, looking at the damage underneath. Now that the initial swelling was starting to go down he could see a split lip, black eye, and a rapidly purpling bruise across the tan skin. He pulled his wand out, banished the ice, and pointed the tip at Harry's face, " _Episkey_. I'm not happy about this, but if you think it's best, I'll let it go." He gently grabbed Harry's chin, turning his face this way and that to assess his handywork. Satisfied, he let his fingers linger just a little longer than necessary before releasing him with a subtle caress.

The blonde made to turn away and start heading back to the Slytherin table, "Why don't you join us for breakfast and you can update me on everything that happened?" He was stopped again by Harry's hand and turned back to see the dark head downcast, his eyes fixed on his scruffy shoes that were scuffing nervously at the floor, "Harry?"

"I…I need to tell you something, before we sit down. Because you might not like me or want me around after I do."

Grey eyes widened at that and he waited until Harry looked up and met his gaze. He knew that whatever they decided to do, it was best to do it in public so that their story couldn't get warped or twisted by rumours. However, he hadn't expected Harry to be ready yet, especially after what sounded like a rather unpleasant morning. He looked deep into emerald eyes, silently conveying all his questions, _are you sure, are you ready?_ He saw Harry give an almost imperceptible nod, visible only because he was so close, and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He wanted this, he wanted Harry, but his stomach felt heavy and his heart felt like it was going to beat right out of his chest. He steeled himself, making sure to act the part of clueless friend, "I'm sure nothing you could say to me could make that true. What is it, is something wrong?"

Harry had to suppress a smile at the words, wishing he had half the acting skills and control of Draco. Although, maybe the Sorting Hat would have put him in Slytherin without any sort of deliberation if he had. "I broke up with Ginny because we weren't compatible, and we would have been miserable together. I don't have any feeling for her beyond friendship," He had to stop himself from turning the statement into the past tense, for he wasn't sure what he felt for her anymore. He wanted them to be friends, but after the things she'd done and said he wasn't so sure they could be. He shook his head slightly to clear it; that wasn't important right now. "However, I realised I did have those feelings for someone else."

"That's understandable, it's not fair to keep a relationship going if you're not really in it. Who is this other girl, why don't you tell her how you feel? It might be a bit soon, but what have you got to lose? You might as well find out if she feels the same, and if there's any potential there." Draco gave him the bright, supportive smile of a friend giving another friend comfort and advice.

Biting his lip and hardening his gaze to stop himself from laughing or rolling his eyes at the display, Harry glanced around the Hall, taking note of the fact that everyone within earshot was definitely listening. He amped up his nervous act, rubbing a hand at the back of his head and rubbing one foot against the calf of his other leg, "I have everything to lose, see this person, he's gorgeous, and funny, and he's one of the best people I know. He's a great friend and I can't stand the thought of losing him."

Draco could hear the whispers and gasps at the use of male pronouns, but didn't react himself beyond a reassuring smile, even though his stomach felt warm and his skin tingled at Harry's words. Merlin damn him if he didn't come across as accepting and happy for Harry as he genuinely felt, "If he's such a great friend, then he'll want to know how you feel, and even if he doesn't feel the same way, he won't let it come between you. Real friends don't turn on each other over something like that." He couldn't stop his gaze flicking up at the Gryffindor table, pointedly glaring at anyone who didn't seem a hundred percent happy with Harry's revelations. To his surprise, it was only the two Weasley's (he couldn't help but smirk as Ron held his own ice pack to his cheek; he must have done something pretty bad to get Seamus worked up like that and to not be offered healing spells from his House mates) and one or two faces he didn't recognise that seemed to be trying to burn holes in Harry's back with their heated looks. He looked back down into Harry 's eyes, giving him his full attention.

Harry stared back with large, soft but sincere eyes, the gentlest curving of a smile playing on his lips, "It's you, Draco."

The blonde grinned down at him, all pretence dropping, his eyes lighting up with genuine joy. He felt weightless, like he could finally breathe. He cupped Harry's face in his hands, throwing caution to the wind and not caring about their spectators as he leant down, capturing those sweet lips with his own. He felt Harry smiling and giggling, a mixture of nervous and happy energy, slender arms wrapping around his waist.

They pulled away from each other when a loud, raucous commotion could be heard from across the Hall. They turned to see a bunch of Gryffindors from Harry's year standing up and cheering loudly, possibly even louder than when Gryffindor had won the quidditch cup. Seamus was even up on one of the benches, pulling up a reluctant Dean as his other fist pumped in the air.

"That is quite enough!" Professor McGonagall's voice cut through the Great Hall like a knife, instantly silencing the cheer and other mixed responses coming from across the rest of the student body, "Finnigan, off the table now, or you'll be in detention with Mr Filch tonight. Ronald and Ginerva Weasley, I suggest you lower your wands and immediately forget whatever spells you were about to speak, or I will see to it myself that you will never have any free time again. Ten points from Gryffindor, each, and I will be writing to your parents." She turned a slightly warmer gaze on Harry and Draco, giving a stiff nod and the barest hint of a smile before retaking her seat.

Severus Snape stood from his place on the other side of Dumbledore, his cold, black gaze sweeping the room, "And if any…harm was to befall Mr Malfoy…or Mr Potter…because of any…revelations that have occurred this morning, I will be dealing with the guilty parties personally." His voice was oddly quiet yet powerful, easily carrying the slow, drawling threat to the four corners of the room.

Draco smiled at his godfather as he sat back down, knowing that was probably the biggest sign of acceptance of his relationship with Harry that he'd show. He took a tan hand in his, tugging gently to get Harry's attention, "Now, will you please join me for breakfast?"

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The End.

Happy Reading,  
Love,  
Bambi x


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